Need to know more before you get involved?
What is a multi-academy trust (MAT)?
MATs are a group of academy schools that are run in partnership with one another and exist outside of Local Authority control. MATs receive their funding directly from the Department for Education (DfE) and make their own financial decisions, which means they’re run more like businesses than maintained or Local Authority schools.
MATs have a CEO and senior management team who oversee the top levels of all schools within the trust.
What does a MAT or academy governance structure look like?
MATs have a board of trustees who work at a top level and are accountable for all the schools within the trust. Trustees can delegate the day to day running of schools within the trust to local governing boards (LGBs). Each school in the MAT may have its own LGB which considers issues relevant to the individual school.
What do trustees do?
Trustees are a type of school governor, but they make up the board of trustees of a MAT. The main responsibilities of the trustees are to:
- Set the strategic direction of the trust
- Hold senior school leadership to account
- Oversee the trust’s financial performance
These are also the three key roles of a school governing board, but trustees operate at a higher level, overseeing strategy and finance across all schools in the trust.
For many people, volunteering as a trustee is a meaningful way to give back but also to develop skills and gain non-executive director experience.